Title :
Anecdotes [virtual machines]
Author_Institution :
George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA, USA
Abstract :
The author explains how ´virtual´ came into the everyday computing lexicon. The term virtual was borrowed from optics in the 1980s and has become a major term in computing today. In its broadest sense, virtual machine refers to the universality of the computer: with sufficient memory, any computer can simulate any other if we simply load it with software simulating the other computer.
Keywords :
history; virtual machines; computer simulation; computing lexicon; history; memory; optics; virtual machine; Computational modeling; Computer simulation; Fault detection; Image analysis; Load flow control; Operating systems; Optical sensors; Virtual machining;
Journal_Title :
Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE
